Frequently Asked Questions

Advisors join as 1099 independent contractors and build their own practice within the Sharper Image Financial Services, LLC registration. You set your own hours, hire your own staff, and grow your own client base. The firm handles compliance, supervision, licensing support, and administrative work.

The firm pays for licenses and approved expenses and handles compliance and administrative work. In exchange, the firm retains a small percentage of the fees you earn. There are no platform fees and no minimums. Approved expenses are reimbursed through a request in the advisor portal with your receipt attached. The payout grid and an interactive calculator are on the Compensation page.

The payout grid is progressive: each rate applies only to the fees inside its own tier, like tax brackets. It starts at 82.5% on your first fees and rises as your annual fees grow, up to 97.5%. Your effective payout is the blend of the tiers your fees fall in, and the calculator and your statements show every step.

No. In the New Advisor Program you do not need the Series 65 to apply, but you cannot work with clients until you pass it. You pay the exam fee up front, and once you pass the firm reimburses the cost of the first attempt. If it takes more than one attempt, the retakes are your responsibility.

No. There are no minimums for either program, and applications are always open.

Advisors work with Charles Schwab as custodian, RightCapital for financial planning, Less Annoying CRM, AdvicePay, Zoom for meetings and SMS, Microsoft 365, Calendly, Presults for compliance archiving, RIA Registrar for compliance filings, Kaplan for continuing education, and DocuSign for e-signature.